"Destiny my ass."
Jade Glaster refuses to believe the Fates rule her life. Orphaned after an
attack by Scourge soldiers, a young Jade vows never to be powerless again. Once
grown and strong, wielding the affinities of fire and healing, Jade protects
innocents as an enforcer for her world's elite policing agency—The Talon.

When an emissary mission to
reinstate a race of exiled Elves brings Galan into her life, Jade finds herself
overwhelmed by new passions, some welcome, some not. Although Galan's
antiquated views on women offend her to her heated core, when the Scourge
attack his family, she helps him navigate the outside worlds he knows nothing
about—the magical Realm of the Fair and, stranger still . . . the modern
streets of Toronto.

Through their sensually
charged pursuit of justice, Jade discovers that when dealing with the
Fates—destiny is never random.

Excerpt

~ Chapter 1 ~

Gun versus wand.

Lexi and I saw the standoff escalating beyond the crush of half-naked,
leather-clad bodies on the dance floor. The patrons of the tavern, human and
not, ceased shimmying to the techno-rock of the house band and drew wands and
daggers in every direction.

"Let us through
people." Raising my palms I called my powers. "Castian, come to
me." A surge of arcane energy lifted my hair as my affinity awoke.
"Down!" I shielded Lexi and avoided the white-gold energy bolt
zinging past our heads. It hit the mirrored wall over the bar, bursting into a
shower of sparks and jagged shards.

A shot rang out. Shit.

Magic buzzed and crackled in the air like a bug-light in August. I
threw out some heat to part the remaining sea of bodies. Ignoring the sneers of
rubberneckers, we pushed through and my sister and I joined the altercation.

A scruffy, brute of a man sporting a bandana stood, gun poised, staring
straight into the wand-tip of one of the Academy of Affinities' fifth-year
wizardry students.

"Problem, gentlemen?" I asked, easing into their circle.

With shoulders rigid and wand steady, the student, Nash Blackpaw,
focused straight ahead. "Jade, this asshole thinks he's dragging my friend
back to the Modern Realm."

I assessed the native girl shielded behind his back. She looked shaken
but unharmed.

"I don't think," the brute hissed. "This is a family
matter. Jade is it?"

Pushing down the urge to wipe the amused sneer off the bastard's face I
tried to remain professional. "Jade is what friends and students call me.
You can call me Blaze. That is my official nom
de guerre."

I held up my wrist and revealed my Talon brand. Cold, sharp eyes
narrowed on my copper skin as the trademark golden hawk of a Talon enforcer
appeared. "Sir, you are armed with intent to do harm on Haven grounds.
This entire mountain is a sanctuary. According to Fae law, the girl is welcome
to claim refuge here."

"Screw the laws," he spat, shifting the business end of the
gun toward me. "Fae laws force our race to live in the Modern Realm—force
us to hide who we are as if we're worth less than those fucking humans. The gods won't care about one
worthless runaway. Tell your boy here to lower his wand and we're gone."

Catching Lexi's eye, I glanced toward the girl and my sister dissolved
into the crowd.

"Again, that would be no."
The muzzle of the gun pointed at my chest at an almost point blank range. My
skin tingled warm. I pushed back my temper. "I know how you must
feel—"

"You know nothing,"
he snapped, spittle flying. "You are
human."

With his full attention on me, I wove more persuasion into my words.
"As a Talon enforcer, I ensure the laws of both realms are upheld. You
smuggled a gun from the Modern Realm onto sanctuary grounds. There's no chance
you're leaving with the girl. The Portal Gates are sealed for summer solstice
and you have things to answer for. Your only option here is to lower your
weapon."

My suggestion had the barrel wavering. He clutched the grip with both
hands and stabilized it. His jaw clenched as his index finger tightened on the
trigger. I gave another push of energy and when I thought I was at my limit, I
pushed further. Perspiration beaded across his furrowed brow. I held on.
Needles of pain ran through my jaw as I clenched my teeth. After another
minute, the Glock clattered to the tavern floor.

He lunged.

My feet left the ground as his shoulder caught my cheek. Something
solid connected with my ribs and I hit the dance floor in an awkward
half-twist. My back connected with the wood plank right before my head bounced.
I was still seeing white splotches bursting in front of my eyes when the
brute's staggering weight lifted and two Were-lion bouncers took control.

One snatched the weapon and shoved it into the waistband of his jeans.
His litter-mate grabbed the guy's thick arms and wrenched them back until I
expected to hear the snap of bone. Rumbling like a storm cloud, the pair of
Weres cable-tied the guy's hands and signaled to everyone that the show was
over.

"And a good night was had by all." Lexi rolled her amethyst
eyes and offered me a hand up.

About the author

September 2009
marked the beginning of my journey with writing paranormal/fantasy romance
novels. After spending a year hiatus in Panama with my family, I returned to
Ontario relaxed and ready to let stories flow from my mind onto the page. The
only problem was—I didn’t know a thing about the craft of writing.

Almost four years
later, after dozens of workshops, reading hundreds of books, joining a writing
community and two critique groups, I've won two writing scholarships and
believe I've got a handle on what I’m trying to say and the voice with which I
want to say it.

Currently, I am
working on the five book Scourge Survivor Series as well as a darker,
erotic/romance paranormal series currently called Watchers of the Grey.